Scouts Amidst Hogwarts' Halls
by Kaye - K
Summary: Serena receives a strange delivery and an odd shaped parcel from her forgotten past of witchery. The Scouts embark on a rediscovery of their previously magical lives.
1. Discovering Magic

  Serena sat in her room trying to concentrate on her homework but always managing to drift off into thinking about something else. Something was plaguing her mind and it bothered her because she didn't seem to know what it was. She looked up momentarily form her work in time to see a beautiful white owl fly pass her window. She gave a strange look to the sight and proceeded to look down again at her book. 

  "This is sooo boring!" She wined to herself. "School is pointless when are we ever going to use this stuff!"

  "It's very important." Luna chimed in. "You just don't realize it yet."

  "Yeah, sure Luna." Serena retorted. "I'd rather be listening to one of Amy's lectures than doing this. At least I could fall asleep and not have to write anything down."

  "You're such a lazy girl."

  Serena heard her mother beckon her from downstairs and went to the top of the stairs and called down. 

  "What is it mom?" She yelled down.

  "Come down here." Her mom replied. "Something just came for you!"

  "Something for me?!" She thought. "Cool."

  When she got downstairs she noticed her mom holding a rather oblong wooden box. She gave her mother an odd look which her mother responded with a shrug, took the box and scurried upstairs to see what possibly could be inside. Luna was sitting on the bed and was rather surprised to see the parcel in Serena's hands.

  "What on earth is that?" Luna asked.

  "I don't know yet Luna, I haven't opened it." Serena shot back. 

  The box was tied with a tattered rope and Serena pulled at it before she decidedly placed it on her desk and pull at the string. With a few tugs the rope came undone and she proceeded to lift the lid off. Looking inside whatever was weighing the box down was buried in straw and an envelope with a strange seal addressed to her was sitting atop it. She placed that to the side and began digging through the straw. She felt what seemed like a long wooden stick and placed her hands around it and drew it out of the box. She held it in her hand and gave it a strange stare. It was made of a light wood and had a crescent moon inscribed near the end of it. Luna's eye became wide as if she knew something. Serena then picked up the envelope and turned it over to find a seal on the back once she broke it she look on the inside to find a letter informing her of a school of witchcraft and wizardry. Another parchment had been placed though in the envelope as well. It was a letter; Serena began to read it earnestly:

My Dearest Daughter,

 I only hope that you have not forgotten though I fear you may have you other hidden powers within. By the time you get this you will have already began your new life. I have placed this box and its contents in the care of Hogwarts, and hope you receive it in due time. You attended this school when you were younger on the Moon Kingdom and had completed your years by the time you were fifteen, you were a very advanced student and I hope that you carried it on with you into this life. I hope that you have not received this too late, so that you may start anew of necessary. This is your wand which chose you and was engraved with the symbol of the moon, I enclosed your letter of acceptance to this fine school as well so there may be no doubts. I will always love you and wish you luck with your rediscovered gift. May you excel in your magic as you once had.

Your Loving Mother

Queen Serenity

  Serena was more puzzled than surprised as she gave Luna a confused glance.

  "Serena, there's something I have been meaning to tell you and the scouts." Luna said solemnly. "And I am beginning to think I should have told you sooner."


	2. On the Way

"So you're saying we each received one of these wands because we're witches?" Lita asked surprised. 

  The Scouts had called an emergency meeting at Ray's Temple to sort through things. 

"Luna, I can't help wondering why you never told us sooner. I am sure we have already missed a few years of schooling." Amy inquired. 

  Luna gave a sigh and went on.

"True, Amy, but I was sworn to secrecy, Artemis as well. Your mothers wanted you to know at the right time. And since all of you we so advanced in the field of magic with your already amazing scout powers no further schooling is required. You will all remember your skills in time. It may be wise, though to return to Hogwarts to hone some of your forgotten skills."

"Hogwarts?" Mina began. "That sounds familiar."

"Yes, it should, it's where you went there for several years in the study of witchcraft arts. Each of you received you wands correct?"

"Yes." They all said in unison.

  They held out their individual wands each with a planetary symbol inscribed on the handle to represent their royalty. 

"When is it we exactly leave for this school?" Lita asked a bit suspicious.

"As soon as possible would be best." Luna replied.

"But Luna there has to be more than just this, if I recall we required much more than a wand for school." Amy implied.

"Yes Amy, you're right, all of your things are still at the school they were stored there for you so that would not be lost when you returned. I actually took up a few classes at the school myself, but I did not learn nearly as much as I would have liked to."

"What did you learn Luna?" Serena asked.

"For instance." Luna began.

  There was a flash and they scouts looked around them and noticed that they were no longer in the comfort of Raye's Temple, but standing on the cold platform of a train station with people buzzing about around them.

"Ah! Luna what did you do?!" Serena yelped.

"Where are we?" Raye asked.

"London, England." Luna replied 

"England?! What are we doing here?" Mina inquired practically in hysterics. 

"We're here to go back." 

"Go back?"

"Yes I remember now." Amy began. She approached the divider in the middle of the platform and felt the hard brick surface with her hard before fully disappearing into it. 

"Ah! Amy where'd ya go?!" Serena ran frantically towards to the platform and began feeling around it to see where she went. 

"Oh I get it now!" Lita said as she made a running start into the divider.

"Lita what are you doing!?"

 But it was to late she had already disappeared as well.

"I gotta try this." Mina said walking forward. Serena stopped her.

"Wait a minute! I don't get it what's happening this is solid brick!"

"Oh come off it Serena can't you remember anything." And with that Mina walked straight into the column. 

"You don't plan on staying here do you Serena?" Raye asked.

"No Raye not you to I won't let you!" Serena said as she grabbed Ray's blouse.

"Let go Serena! It's alright!"

"I don't know that!"

"Ugh!" Raye gave a hard tug and pulled Serena screaming in with her.

"At last they're finally going back." Luna said looking toward Artemis.

"The Scout Order will be revived once again." Artemis replied as he walked forward.

  And both cats melted into the column.  


	3. Explanations and Forgotten Acquaintances

The Scouts arrived on the other side of the column at what appeared to be rather small a train station host to only one train which read 'Hogwarts Express' upon it. The girls began looking around nervously as children aging from eleven to eighteen were wandering around in robes and with trunks and animals. 

"I suppose you girls don't remember any of this." Luna said.

"Well, not from the looks of it." Lita replied.

"Then you'd better keep near me. Of course you cannot go to Hogwarts dressed the way you are."

"What do you mean Luna?" Amy asked.

Luna gave a sly look and closed her eyes. The girls were instantly transformed into long flowing robes each with a respective symbol on them. 

"I am trusting you still have your wands, keep hold of them, the rest of your things are being kept at the school. Please follow me."

So, they followed Luna and Artemis onto the train and sat down. Gossip immediately began to spread around the train about their presence. None of the experienced students has ever seen them the previous years. Lita stared out the window at the passing landscape wondering where they would end up. 

"Artemis what exactly are we doing going back to this place we supposedly knew and studied at before." Amy asked.

"Well." Artemis began. "You all had originally been accepted during the Silver Millennium and had attended the school for the full seven years. Each of you was very gifted in your abilities, but each of you also had a strong point. It is a pity that you were so fresh out of school when Beryl attacked, you had not reached your full capabilities. None of the students you had went to school with when you first attended will be here now I hate to say, but you five still remain in your same houses. This trip back to Hogwarts is to help you re-awaken your buried abilities. Hopefully in a short amount of time you will remember all you had learned. There is not doubt you will. We have not yet figured out what we're going to do with you when you arrive and in classes. Being as it is you are seventh years that will seemingly have no experience with magic, except of course some scout techniques."

"We have arrived girls." Luna said as the train came to a halt. "Come quickly we must get to the boats."

They stepped off the train and walked a ways to a large lake and sitting on a hill overlooking it stood what seemed to be a massive castle. They stared in amazement and continued on into the boats crossing the lake. Serena stared around nervously swearing there was something beneath them. When they reached the school they followed Luna and Artemis away from the crowd of students and up through many doors and corridors and up through many strange passages ways. Eventually they came to an extraordinary room with pictures and gadgets and many wonderful things strewn about it. An old and rather long bearded man approached them. 

"Luna, I see that we have received the Scouts once again safely." He said smiling.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore." Luna replied. "It is due time that they return. They are ready, though their memories fail them at the moment I am sure they will be up to speed soon."

"I share your optimism as well." Dumbledore replied at looked up at the girls in a friendly fashion. "You five will do just fine, and I have no doubt you will become as great as you once were and have always been."


	4. The Houses

Standing awestruck the scouts stared at Dumbledore with much respect and reality. None of this had seemed so real until this point. He smiled at them through his glasses and continued. 

"I suspect you remember your respected houses." His grinned widened as though we already knew the answer. 

Luna looked worriedly at the scouts then at Dumbledore. 

"I am afraid, Albus, their memory is fare more flawed than we feared." Feeling a little embarrassed Luna looked downward.

"Very well, Luna." Dumbledore continued. "Allow me to remind you all, Lita and Mina, always you two have shown great courage on the battle field and when it comes to you every day issues, you two will remain as you have always been in Gryffindor."

Mina and Lita smiled at their compliments and felt very glad to be in a house that seemed to have such gumption.

"Raye Hino, your cunningness and fascination in foreseeing brings you to being a very steadfast and prude young lady, you are indubitably in Ravenclaw. The two in question are being well taken care if." 

Raye bowed, her mind wandered back to her two Ravens Phobos and Deimos, she though this must be what he meant when he mention, the two in question. This made her very pleased with her house.

Serena was about to burst she wanted to know which well-known and respectable house she would be put in at this point she was practically bouncing up a down.

"And me?" Serena asked in anticipation.

Dumbledore looked over at her and gave her a grandfatherly look.

"Ah, dear Princess, you I shall never forget, you should be very proud, for you belong in our valiant Hufflepuff."

It would be a lie to say that Serena did not feel the least bit disappointed when she heard the name, but she simply could not show it with Dumbledore looking so proudly upon her. So she straightened herself up and gave him and thankful nod. 

Coming down to Amy, the most book-smart of them all, they were intent upon knowing which house she was put in. Dumbledore let out a warming sigh and turned to Amy.

"Amy, you are truly gifted and intelligent."

Amy blushed and smiled at the complement from someone she respected so much. Though she had already remembered what house she belonged, she looked forward to hear it bestowed upon her again by their once and again Headmaster. 

As Dumbledore paused the Scouts were practically staring right through him for an answer. He simply glanced between them and Amy, gave another sigh and said:

"Slytherin is your house my dear. May you continue your studies with the same academia you left with so long ago." Dumbledore looked at Luna. "Artemis, Luna, if you would please escort these girls to their dormitories I would be grateful, classes begin tomorrow."

"Very well," Luna nodded to the Scouts as they bid Dumbledore goodbye, for now, and left the room. 

Just as they were stepping outside the office, Luna confronted another grayish cat which looked upon her intently. 

"I suggest you make yourself more presentable and try not to draw to much attention to your                              group." The cat said stiffly.     

"Very well, Professor." Artemis agreed. 

Right before the Scouts eyes Luna and Artemis transfigured into human forms, Luna clothed in mellow yellow robes and Artemis in white. They stood in shock of the change in their feline friends' new facades. 

As they walked past the gray cat, Serena looked over her shoulder and saw it turn into a tall strict looking older woman. Serena quickly averted here eyes away quickly and stared at Luna worriedly. 

"Luna?" She began. 

"All your questions will be answered in due time Serena, please hold them for now." Luna quickly responded.

And the halls of Hogwarts stretched before the scouts as they traveled through the enormous castle.     


	5. Two Enter Gryffindor

The halls were pretty much empty, save for a few students passing by every now and then. Serena took notice of this. 

"Luna."she began, "where is everyone? I thought this was a school."

Luna sighed.

"In their common rooms probably, I'm sure the welcoming feast has ended by now."

"Oh."

Serena's heart sank at the mentioned of a feast which they did not attend. Really, she did not mind though. She was quite entertained by the portraits on the walls waving at her and her companions. And the whole feel of the old castle was that of a comfortable old home, and a new exciting palace yet to be explored. 

After a while of silence, and making it past some shifty stair cases, they appeared in front of a large portrait of a fat woman in a beautiful dress. Luna straightened herself up and looked at the portrait head on. It spoke.

"Password?" the fat lady asked.

"Potsworgle." Luna replied.

"Very well. You may enter." 

The picture swung around to reveal an opening large enough for them to fit through. Artemis transfigured back into his feline form and jumped into Mina's arms. Luna turned to Lita and Mina. 

"This is the Gryffindor house dormitories, please enter, and get some rest tonight girls, you will receive your schedules in the morning. Goodnight."

Mina held tight to Artemis, as her and Lita stepped forward. 

"Goodbye everyone," they said. "see you in the morning." 

They disappeared through the opening and the portrait closed. 

Lita and Mina were standing in a large common room with a large fire place ablaze and many other students seated on very old, comfortable looking, chairs. Aside from everyone staring at them, the room was very welcoming. They stood there for a bit, Mina clutching Artemis all the more tighter. 

Before they could take another step forward a girl with bright, curly, red hair and pale skin approached them, she was marked with a badge reading _P _on her robes and she had a large smile across her face. 

"Hello, and welcome your majesties." The girl beamed.

The reaction of the room was that of awe, they had no idea royalty was present. 

"I'm so happy you have finally arrived, I'm Francis Finkley, I have been asked to be your escort for the next couple weeks. Please follow me, I will shoe you to your rooms. The eyes of the room followed the three girls all the ways up the short star case leading to the dormitories until they disappeared around the bend in the stairs. When they came to the top Francis opened a door for them and they entered. There were three, beautiful four poster beds, and trunks placed at the end of them, Lita could not see what, but there was something sitting on one of them, it was too dark. Francis went about the room with her wand and lit the candles so the room brightened up. 

"Your things should be in your trunks, you bed," she said pointing to Mina, "is the one by the window, and yours," pointing to Lita, "Is the one against that wall over there."

Lita groaned as she saw hers was the one with the dark smallish figure upon it. 

Francis continued, "I will be in the common room if you need anything. Please make yourselves comfortable."   

With those last words she disappeared through the door. Lita looked over to Mina.

"There's something on my bed." She said brokenly.

Mina, already sitting on her bed stroking Artemis, gave her an odd look, "Go see what it is."

Lita cautiously approached the bed when she came close enough she saw a horse, small enough to fit in her hand, curled up on the blanket of the bed. It was a magnificent little creature. It was a light chocolate color with a stripe of white down its nose, and it had small white feathery wings. Lita could not help herself and prodded it awake with her finger. It instantly awoke and seeing Lita, neighed gleefully and began to fly around her head. Lita ducked and looked over to Mina and Artemis. 

"What _is_ it?!" she yelled.

Artemis smiled, "It's yours." 

"Mine?!"  

"Yes, that is Loki, your dwarf-Pegasus. You brought her with you from Jupiter when you first arrived at Hogwarts. You're the only one in the school the have such a creature. Don't be afraid of it just stick our your hand."

Lita obeyed and the horse landed gently on her hand. Lita stroked it head ad if it let out a satisfied grunt.

"Loki." Lita sighed, "I remember you." And she smiled. 


	6. One Into Ravenclaw

"Where are we going to now?" Serena asked.

"We're going to the owlery." Luna replied.

"What's that?"

"It's where all the student's a school's owls are kept."

The group, now short two girls, made their way up a narrow stair case to a tall tower of the castle, they entered a rather cold room with no windows and a bushel of different types of owls. They stared around in awe for a moment when Amy made a remark.

"Those two look quiet out of place."

Luna brought her gaze upward and fixed it upon two dark black ravens that sat amidst all of the owls.

"Ah, there they are." She turned to Raye. "I believe you know what to do."

Raye smiled and held out her arms.

"Phobos, Deimos come."

The coal colored birds let out a call a flew down from their perches landing upon Raye's outstretched arms. She was overjoyed to see that her ravens were well taken care of.

"Let us continue." Luna said.

They ascended the tower stairs and made their way down a large corridor to the west end of the castle. After they had ascended yet another flight of stairs they arrived at the entrance to another dormitory entrance. Luna turned to Raye.

"Here is where we leave you." Luna said.

Raye entered the Ravenclaw common room, just as it was in Gryffindor there were students gathered around the fireplace talking to each other, either playing games, chatting, or studying. Raye immediately felt self-assured that she was definitely in the right place. She sensed something that felt vaguely familiar. Almost immediately after she stepped in and young first year approached her with wide eyes.

"Are those yours?" He asked pointing to the two birds which were now perched on her shoulders.

Raye smiled at the kid's interest.

"As a matter of fact they are," she replied. She knelt down so she he could see them better. "This is Phobos and Deimos. They're..."

"Ravens, I know, they're awesome. I've always wanted one. I think I was meant to be in Ravenclaw."

"Here," Raye said transferring Deimos onto her arm. "Hold still."

Raye took the bird and placed it on the kid's shoulder. He stood perfectly still and smiled as Deimos sat like a statue on his shoulder.

"What's your name?" Raye asked the boy.

"Bernard Potts," he replied. "But I'm usually just called Bern."

"Excuse me." A voice said.

Raye looked up to see a tall, dark haired young man with his hands placed behind his back looking down at her.

"I hope my brother is not causing you any inconvenience." He said with a smirk.

Raye straightened up and faced the young man.

"Oh, no not at all," she said.

"I'm Henry Potts," he said extending his hand.

"Raye Hino," she replied as she shook his hand cordially.

"Ah, yes you are who I was looking for. I believe you and I are scheduled for the same classes tomorrow so I was assigned to be your guide for your first week. Allow me to show you around."

Bern looked a little disappointed. Raye turned to him with a smile.

"How about you look after Deimos for a while?" She said.

Bern's face lit up and he rushed over to show his friends the raven.

Henry immediately began his spiel.

"As you can see this is the common room, your dormitory is up those flight of stairs and if you have any questions I'm usually here in the study or if it's anything too urgent, boy's dormitories are up those flight of stairs. Hopefully you won't have to ever venture up in that region, it's not very pretty in the light." He added as he grinned. "Any questions?"

"Not so far," Raye said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Good then if you'll please follow me."

Henry proceeded up the girls' flight of stairs with Raye in trail.

"Lion in the den ladies I hope you all are decent!" He yelled, and then turned to Raye, "No need to worry I don't usually make a habit of this."

They stopped in front of a door which Henry opened for her.

"In case you haven't guessed yet, this is your room. Your things are in the trunk there at the end of your bed which would be that one, I'm guessing," he said pointing to the bed without posters or paraphernalia surrounding it. If there is nothing else I will see you in the morning. Goodnight Princess."

"Goodnight," Raye said wistfully as she was beginning to feel a little tired.

After Henry had left Raye took Phobos off of her shoulder and the raven flew up and perched on top of one of the posts on her bed. Raye closed her eyes and concentrated.

"Deimos." She thought to herself.

Not a moment late the second bird drifted in through the doorway and landed upon Raye's arm. Raye sat down onto her bed and stroked the bird's dark feathers and she stared out the window into the dark and starry night.


	7. Set Adrift in Slytherin

Luna and the remaining to girls began a deep decent in to the depths of Hogwarts. They made their way down a flight of stairs with Luna using her wand as their only light. The floor became a little damp and the smell of the air musty with each step they took.

"Please watch your footing girls, these stairs are very old." Luna warned.

"How much longer until we get there?" Serena.

"Just a few more steps."

They went down three more steps, then Luna faced the wall. She tapped her wand on three different bricks while whispering an incantation to herself. The three bricks formed a triangular pattern and glowed a vibrant green then faded.

"Amy if you please step up to the wall." Luna stepped back and waved Amy forward.

Amy did so.

"Now say _iaastat_ and step forward."

Amy's eyes widened. "Into the wall?"

"Yes, just liked in the train station, it's a similar spell. Now please repeat after me, _iaastat._"

Amy faced the wall and said clearly, "_Iaastat_."

She stepped forward and melded into the wall, and stepped into a large and marvelous dungeon-like atmosphere with high ceilings with pillars to hold them up. There was a large fire place two feet taller than her which had a blue fire blazing in its hearth. Around the fire place were seated a few students who turned to her when she entered and immediately turned back toward their conversation. Amy stood there in her robes with the Slytherin crest imprinted on the chest and stepped forward down a couple steps. She began to look around the room again and take everything in about her. There were windows high upon the walls where some moonlight was drifting in between the emerald curtains. A silver chandelier hung above an enormous round dark oaken table at which a couple more students were seated playing Wizard's Chess. The room was quite silent with no one person's voice speaking above a whisper. Another young man sat in a dark corner in a high backed chair reading a large book, his glasses rested on his nose and his eyes seemed to be piercing the pages of the volume he was reading. He had a badge upon his robe with a "P." Amy was unknowingly staring at him when he glanced up for a second and then looked back down. He did a double take a shut his book. Pushing his glasses back onto his face, he rose from his chair, tucked his book under his arm, and approached Amy.

"You are Miss Mizuno are you not?" He asked plainly.

"Yes." Amy replied. "How did you know?"

"You look a little out of place." He said with expressionless sarcasm. "I hope you don't mind but I am filling in for my sister as your escort. She became suddenly ill and had to return home."

"Oh, I am so sorry to hear that." Amy said.

"Yes..." He replied with even less emotion. "So was I." He paused a moment. "I believe to can ascertain that this is the common room, girls dormitories are down those stairs, and to the left, do not turn right unless you wish to room with the boys. Please be in the common room tomorrow morning exactly two minutes after eight o'clock, we begin seventh year seminar at eight thirty and I do not wish to be late, only early. Now if you'll excuse me I will retire to my room for the night to read in a quieter atmosphere."

He bowed to Amy and began to walk away.

"Excuse me." Amy called after him.

"May I know you're name?"

"You may," He answered. "Tomorrow." And with that he turned and dissapeared down the dormitory stairs.


	8. Hufflepuffery

-1As Serena and Luna walked back up to the more breathable areas of Hogwarts, Serena's stomach gave a loud and audible growl.

"Lunaaaaa..." She whined. "I'm hungryyyyyy."

Luna did not pause in her upward motion on the stairs. "Well then, you're in luck." She replied. "Your common room is not that far from the school kitchens."

"Score!" said Serena, as she all but lept past Luna on the stairs, intent on reaching their destination.

"You don't know where you're going!" Luna called out angrily, as Serena whipped around a corner out of sight. Suddenly, there came the sound of impact, and two voices raised in mutual exclamations of pain.

"Ow! My glasses!" said a voice.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry!"

"What the heck is your problem!" Luna heard as she came around the corner.

She saw Serena on the verge of tears standing next to a tousseld haired boy with blazing green eyes and nostrils flared in anger. Holding his wand aloft.

"What are you doing?!" she said stepping between Serena and the stranger. "Who are you?" she demanded.

"I should ask you the same question," he said snappishly. "I've never seen you around here before. You're not a professor I take it."

"We are foreign escorts to royalty and this girl you were just about to hex outside of class happens to be a princess. Harry Potter."

The boy's eyes widened and he placed his wand back in his robes.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I'm riding a little on the wrong side of the broom today."

Luna could tell he was sincere in his apology, and so she forgave him with a quick, "Don't let it happen again," as she brushed him on their way.

"Wait!" Harry called from behind them. "How did you know my name?"

"Mr. Potter, who in this world doesn't know your name?" Luna carelessly tossed back over her shoulder.

The Potter boy stood there with his head turned down and Serena gave a sigh. "Luna, who is he? _I_ didn't know who he was."

"Well Serena, in due time you WILL know." Luna responded mysteriously as they approached a large round door of warm colored wood with a doorknob set square in the center.

"What's that?" Serena asked.

"The entrance to your common room," Luna said simply. She whispered into the doorknob: _"Bumbling Badgers Bask in Brisk Bubbling Brine."_

Serena stood confused. "Luna, what did you just say?"

"The password Serena. You would do well to remember it."

"I can't remember that!" she squealed as the door swung open.

The two stood on the threshold of amazingly furnished quarters. The large ever-burning fireplace with a mantel piece of a badger in full charge atop it lay nestled in a corner. The old yet inviting chairs and sofas were upholstered in a comforting mellow yellow toile fabric. The walls were paneled wood of knotty pine, and smelled of cedar. The entire atmosphere was one of welcoming invitation and non-judgmental frivolity.

Luna transformed back into her cat-like state before the students in the room glanced over at the two newcomers.

"Luna, don't leave me," Serena whispered.

"I'm not going anywhere Serena," said Luna. "Now, calm down."

"Howdy!" A voice from across the room yelled.

A tall burly looking youth rose from a chair near the fire place. Sweat glistened across his forehead in a manly fashion. He was dressed in mud-splattered yellow robes which were quite different from those Serena was wearing.

"Luna," she said quietly, "I'm scared."

In three broad steps the boy reached them and gave Serena a wide and confident smile.

"You look more scared than a chicken in a fox house," he said slapping Serena on the back with a large hand.

Serena coughed.

"I'm Boone. Boone Nash. Keeper for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team and your guide around this here castle."

"Oh," said Serena with a nervous chuckle. "My guide. You hear that Luna?"

Luna's mouth was agape as she sat silently by Serena.

"You talking to that cat?" said Boone pointing to Luna. "Now, I may have stopped a few Bludgers with my head, but I ain't never been no cat whisperer."

"But I'm not . . ." Serena began.

"That's all right," said Boone wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Luna gasped at his lack of concern for personal space.

"We'll have plenty of time to catch up on all this while I show you around this here place."

Serena walked with Boone and Luna sighed as she followed closely behind.


	9. Defense Against a Dark Heart

Mina awoke to a thumping sound at the foot of her bed. When she opened her eyes all she could see was the dull red glow of light coming through her bed curtains. She leaned over to the edge of the bed and opened the curtains. Lita was up already. She was by her bed in full karate regalia sparring with her bed post. Loki was flittering around her head neighing joyfully. Mina cleared her throat.

"Some of us would like to SLEEP, you know." She said grumpily, aware her hair was in horrid disarray.

"And some of us need to train!" Lita grunted in reply. "Who knows what sort of evil we'll meet here?"

Mina rolled her eyes and buried herself under her pillow, determined to ignore her friend.

"All right, girls. Rise and shine!" said Frances coming up the stairs carrying an arm full of pasties, muffins, and other breakfast food. "Oh, hello," she said stopping, "I see you're already up and ready, Lita. I don't mean to be a rush, but we need to get going. Our first class, Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Snape starts in thirty minutes."

"Thirty minutes?!" The two girls chorused, and Frances found herself shoved out into the hall with the room door slamming in her face with an echoing bang.

The sounds of two people rushing about here heard from the other side, and in an impressively quick amount of time, the door flew open again to reveal the two foreign girls dressed and ready but decidedly disheveled.

"All right," said Mina. "We're ready."

The three of them crossed quickly through the Gryffindor common room and out the portrait hole entrance. Their pace quickened when they reached the hallways of Hogwarts and Frances tried desperately to brief Lita and Mina for their first encounter with Professor Snape. Artemis hung off of Mina's shoulder in a half awake sleeping stupor.

Mina continued to feverously take notes until her arm hurt. The words began to jumble in her head, something about Werewolves, silver, and hot cakes. Though she wasn't sure about the last part. She looked to see how Lita was faring. Her friend's eyes with alight with interest. She was obviously interested in the subject matter.

"Are you all right?" asked Artemis.

"Notes away class, exercises," said Snape.

Now Mina felt even more nervous. She stood up with the rest of the class, and with a wave of his wand Snape had all the desks and their bags against the sides of the classroom, leaving the middle of the floor empty. He himself walked around the perimeter like a lurking, hook-nosed shadow.

"The first pair will be the two—, " he sneered, "DIGNITARIES. Wands out, one performs a simple Stunning Spell, the other a Shield Spell."

Mina felt the wand in her hand, but didn't know what to do with it. Had it been so long? What was she supposed to do? Luna had set them adrift in an ocean without a paddle boat. She looked across the room to Lita, thinking she'd see the same vacant look in her eyes.

"Now!" she heard Snape yell.

Lita's wand rose and Mina felt herself falling backwards against the hard stone floor.

Yet, her friend seemed excited at the same time. She had yelled something that Mina didn't understand. As she was trying to figure out what it was she had to do, she felt something like a pulse running through her arm and down to her fingers. When Snape ordered the two of them do go at it again. Mina was ready.

"_Protego_!" she yelled as Lita's spell came dashing towards her.

With a sudden flare of flashing light, the Shield Spell burst forth and illuminated the room, making Lita's spell bounce off it harmlessly and hit the bookcase. There were scattered murmurs of approval around the room, and Mina looked at Snape, smirking, who sneered.

"Well, it looks as though this year's class won't be as hopeless as I thought..."

Mina held an uncomfortable gaze with Snape for a few moments. She felt as though his eyes were piercing through her. She felt a pang in her chest.

"Class dismissed," said Snape, grasping the hem of his long black cloak and escaping into his office in a flurry of cloth.

Mina hardly listened as Lita made some sort of reply. Her thoughts were on Snape, and what she had sensed.

"Artemis," She whispered quietly, "Professor Snape—is suffering from a broken heart."

"Are you sure Mina?" said Artemis.

Mina watched as Lita spoke loudly to Frances about the Stunning Spell she had used. Poor Frances couldn't begin to keep up with the rate at which Lita was speaking.

"Yes, Artemis," said Mina clutching her books to her chest as a shiver ran down her spine, "I think I am."


	10. Delving into Divination

As Raye sat at the Ravenclaw house table in the Great Hall the next morning, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. She had awoken quite early that day and could not return to sleep, and she had finally decided to get up and look around. Her journey had lead her to the Great Hall which was still empty. With nothing better to do, she had pulled out her wand and had begun trying spells from her textbook.

She felt inclined to try out a few of the fire spells and managed to get a small blue blaze glowing on the plate in front of her. She was particularly drawn to the spells which detected dark forces. She had been reading intensely for a while when she looked up and saw a girl with bushy brown hair brush by her, clutching an armful of books to her chest.

Raye watched the girl for a few moments, she being the only other human in the Great Hall at the moment. Soon enough she dismissed her as unimportant and returned to figuring out a particularly useful Fireball Spell. Within half an hour the Great Hall began to fill with more students and food magically materialized in front of their empty plates. Raye attempted to eat. But the foreign food combined with the uneasiness she felt made it impossible to do so.

As Raye sat there waiting for her food to digest she conjured another small fire. Its flickering flames brought her comfort. She looked up for a moment as the busy haired girl was passing and caught her eye. The girl must have taken it for an invitation because she approached Raye with an excited look on her face.

"You must be one of the new students I've heard so much about," she said. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Hermione Granger. I couldn't help notice your fire spell. I'm quite proficient in them myself. If you like, I could show you how to increase it's size."

Hermione placed her wand in the pit of Raye's small fire and her plate was momentarily engulfed in flame before turning to ash.

Raye felt slightly angry; she had been getting the hang of the spell just fine before this new girl showed up! But she still gritted her teeth and thanked Hermione for her help. Hermione beamed and said something about Prefects being there to help before going on her way. Raye turned back to her now demolished plate, still feeling annoyed and wishing Serena were there so she could yell at her and work off some steam.

Turning back to her spell book, Raye glanced over a few more pages, mulling over a few hexes before placing it to the side and taking another book from her stack. The title _Unfogging the Future_ piqued Raye's interest, and just as she was beginning to glip through it a voice broke her out of her reverie.

"Getting a head start on class are we?"

Raye looked up and saw Henry Potts. At her questioning look the boy laughed and pulled a piece of parchment from his book bag, giving it to Raye as he said,

"It's your class schedule. We have Divination first thing. If you ask me Trelawney is a kooky old bat, but..." He shrugged.

"She's still a professor, and it's a darn sight better than Arithmancy."

Henry grabbed a frosted pastry as the two of them left the Great Hall for Divination. Raye still felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and tried to brush it off as indigestion. After climbing through a trap door in the ceiling, which Raye found rather odd, they reached Proffessor Trelawney's classroom. Raye was overtaken by the smell of cheap perfume and sherry.

Henry gestured for Raye to come sit at his table, and as she did so she noticed a few girls throw her black looks, which made her bad mood even worse. As if she wanted to sit next to Henry out of a stupid crush! Didn't these girls have some studying to do instead of mooning over boys? They were all as bad as Serena!

Henry seemed to be enjoying the attention because as Raye sat down he brushed her arm while pulling his book out of his bag. Raye shot him a death glare as the girls began to hiss whispers behind her. Henry chuckled. Raye thought she saw the crystal on the table in front of her let off a soft glow as she heard a woman's voice come from behind followed by the sound of small jingling bells.

"Welcome, my dears."

From what Raye could see, Professor Trelawney was either in a deep mystic trance or had partaken too much of the sherry bottle she quickly hid beneath her veils as she sat at her own table. The woman's eyes seemed slightly unfocused.

"Today we shall continue to gaze into the depths of the crystal ball in order to find the meanings behind the movements of the stars. Take out your star charts, everyone, and swap them with your partner. Now..." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Let your third eye become receptive to the energies around us... and gaze..."

Raye did felt ridiculous. What could this woman possibly know about the art of prophecy? Crystal balls were not something Raye was familiar with, she found that this form of prediction was more in line with fortune tellers and cheap magic tricks. And she required no charts to read the stars.

Professor Trelawney took a deep breath and rose from her chair. "What is it you all see?"

Henry, who was leaning back in his chair with an air of disinterest, looked at Raye expectantly.

"You don't have a star chart, and she told us to swap and gaze." He grinned. "You should probably get started."

Raye glared at him, and he laughed and then motioned the professor over.

"Professor Trelawney, this is Raye Hino from Japan. I don't believe she is used to crystal ball gazing. Perhaps she could start with reading tea leaves?"

Professor Trelawney looked down at Raye dispassionately. "Of course, of course my dear... the art of crystal gazing is difficult for even the most proficient of Divinationers. I am not surprised you fail at it."

Raye's insides were burning. She cound't believe the audacity of this woman. Raye did not consider herself the best by far, but what she had learned as a priestess in her temple she did not take lightly. Professor Trelawney flitted over her desk and returned with an empty tea cup with leaves sprinkled in the bottom.

"This is a very simple exercise, you shouldn't have any trouble," she said brushing a few stray hairs away from her glasses. "Gaze, long at the tea leaves. Allow your mind to soak in the essence of the shape and tell me what you see."

Raye looked down at the cup. There were leaves. She saw leaves. She did not see the future. How could anyone see the future from some soggy leaves at the bottom of a cup?!

"Professor..." She growled, still trying to be polite. "May I use my own method?"

Professor Trelawney looked at her for a moment, then said, "Your anger clouds your inner-eye, my child."

Raye felt her "inner-eye" boiling over. She took her wand and pointed it at the tea leaves, they burst into flame and Professor Trelawney let out a gasp and took a step back. Raye started into the flames. She shut her eyes and whispered words in Japanese to herself. Henry stared at her and the entire class broke out in hushed conversation.

In her mind, something was beginning to take form. The feeling in the pit of her stomach was beginning to return as she saw the figure of a bespeckled boy with dark messy hair shouting in anger.

Near the black-haired boy was a dark, shadowy figure who laughed with deep rippling evil. His laugh sent chills up Raye's spine. Somehow she knew he wanted to harm the black-haired boy, and that allowing him to do so would mean the end. She felt anger rise up in her throat. She would never let that shadowy figure near the boy so long as she lived! She was about to call out and transform when she suddenly came to, aware that the whole class was watching her in deathly silence.

Professor Trelawney was staring at her through her oversized lenses as though she had seen a ghost.

"My, dear. You have a very dark eye," she clasped the beads around her neck, "and unfortunately it is possible you posses the rare gift of false prophecy. I can sense you want to see badly, but whatever you think you may have seen in those leaves I can tell you what you may see comes to nothing."

Raye stood up, intent on leaving this insane aslyum before she did something she would perhaps someday regret. She turned to Henry to tell him not to bother following her when she noticed his face. The boy's handsome face was deathly pale, but not from disbelief. He seemed afraid of Raye and what she had seen as if she had stumbled upon his darkest secret in her vision, but surely that wasn't the case! Henry looked nothing like the shadowy figure in her vision, and whatever feelings of foreboding she had towards him were because of the foreign food she had had at breakfast! Henry was harmless.

She brushed aside her senses for the moment.

"Are you all right?" she asked with genuine concern.

Henry swallowed and sat up straight in his chair. He brushed his hair back and a grin broke out on his face.

"Class dismissed," Professor Trelawney said, "Miss Hino perhaps you'll be furthur along in your studies when next we meet?"

Raye ignored the professor and gathered up her things.

As they descended down to the castle, Henry returned to his usual self.

"Well! I daresay Divination will certainly be a darn sight more interesting now that you're in the class."

Raye did not choose to talk more about her vision, and so remained silent. Henry, seeing she was preoccupied, continued to silently guide them to their next class, sometimes waving or exchanging pleasantries with Raye did not choose to talk more about her vision, and so remained silent. Henry, seeing she was preoccupied, continued to silently guide them to their next class, sometimes waving or exchanging pleasantries with other students in the hallways. As they walked Raye could not help but wonder if his charming veneer was truly real.

She wanted to trust him, but wasn't entirely sure if she could. He had to have proven himself worthy at some point to be have chosen as her escort. As they made their way down the corridor to their next class Raye decided that she would not let her guard down to his disarming charms.


	11. Draught of Living Love?

Amy woke up in a rather drab mood. She didn't feel very optimistic about the day. She figured that was partially due to the dark over hangings on her bed. Deep silvery-green. Hardly her favorite color. The night before hadn't been too easy. Her new roommates, Hester, Ruth, and Nadine didn't exactly pull out the welcome wagon. She supposed that her being a princess upset them because hey only referred to her as your majesty in passing while getting ready for bed. Other than these few words they hardly said anything to her.

Fortunately, today was the first day of school, something which had always cheered her up. She was even more excited at the fact that this schooling would be entirely different than any she had had before. Though she had tried to sleep early, she had ended up flipping through her textbooks to get a head start on the subjects. Her first class, potions, seemed incredibly fascinating to her and she had memorized all the first year potions and ingredients before turning in so she would have a good foundation for today's lesson.

She was sitting up in bed looking over a few of the notes she had made when her bed curtains flew open. It was Hester.

"My brother's been waiting for you," she said in a huff. "You'd better get ready. He doesn't like to be late."

"But class doesn't start for another hour and a half," said Amy.

Hester rolled her eyes and let go of the curtain. Amy hopped off of her bed and began to dress. Amy walked down the stairs to the common room cautiously and was greeted by was greeted by her guide who looked slightly aggrieved.

"Miss Anderson," he began in a clipped tone, "I hope you will be more punctual for the rest of the week. I, for one, like to be as early to class as possible."

"I see..." Amy nodded. "I will do my best to be earlier tomorrow..." She trailed off curiously, looking at him expectantly to reveal his name at last.

He, however, did not. He turned and began to walk towards the door. She took the cue and followed him. She felt that it might be too forward to ask for his name at this point, she would find out eventually. Though it wouldn't help her in conversationally.

"Um, excuse me," she said when they had reached the hall outside the doorway. "I hope I am not being rude, but-"

"Miss Anderson, you are far too polite," he said monotonously. "If you have a question, address me directly and be out with it. Don't scuttle around with pleasantries."

Felling somewhat more timid being out of her element Amy re-thought her question and was about to speak when a large, rather portly, gentlemen passed them.

"Ah, Mr. Falootin!" he said stopping in his tracks and backing up a bit. Something which looked like quite the chore for him to do. "I've been meaning to speak with you. On your way to my class, no doubt? You certainly are studious."

Amy looked at the two curiously, but neither Mr. Falootin nor the large stranger seemed to pay her any attention.

"Yes, Professor Slughorn. "I wanted to add a few more equations to the assignment that was given over the summer."

The overlarge man chuckled from beneath his large mustache. "Now, now Mr. Falootin! One mustn't be too preoccupied with such things, one must make time for the finer things in life, such as good food, friends, and comfortable surroundings! Speaking of which, I'm having a little get together tomorrow night..."

Amy observed the exchange feeling slightly insulted, but once again neither man noticed her discomfort as "Mr. Falootin" was invited to the apparent Professors' party being held the next night.

"I plan never to miss your meetings Professor," he said. "Only I hope that this time we shall be able to talk more of academic matters than at the previous summer holiday events. I look forward to getting your opinion on the effectiveness of Jiggleroot as opposed to Snodgrass."

With barely more than a politely acknowledging glance in her direction, the rotund man continued down the hallway leaving the two students alone once more. Professor Slughorn had not gotten very far before he turned around on his heels and looked straight at Amy. He began to walk back towards them.

"I thought I recognized you, Miss Anderson." He had a look of discovering gold in his eyes. "Hugh, you must bring her as well. I should be delighted if you came, my dear."

Amy, not wishing to appear unappreciative, accepted. Hugh looked at her as though his eyes were burning a hole through her. She could tell he did not like the idea.

"Wonderful," said Slughorn. "I shall see you both next in class then. I have a before, things to attend to before hand. Good day."

Amy turned to him with a slight look of triumph. "So, Hugh Falootin. It's nice to meet you."

He had the grace to look slightly ashamed, but he quickly recovered and continued down the hallway. "Yes, well, let's be off then."

Amy followed him, now feeling a bit upset at having made him so uncomfortable. For some reason, when he had spoken to the Professor about Jiggleroot and Snodgrass she had felt a keen interest to have him continue the conversation, and half of the reason for her accepting the invitation to the party was to possibly hear more on the debate.

They walked a bit further and reached the dungeon room in which potions was housed. Professor Slughorn had not yet returned and there were no other students yet in the room. They still had quite some time before class began. Amy had always liked to be punctual, but she felt a little set off when she and Hugh sat down in the front row and he began to lay all his supplies out in front of him. Practically ignoring her. Wasn't he supposed to be her guide?

Amy followed Hugh's example, but then realized she had no ingredients.

"Hugh, I don't have anything to make potions with..."

Wordlessly he pointed to a cabinet in the far corner of the room. When Amy opened it she saw a variety of powders, roots, and slimy things in jars. She recognized various things from her memorization the night before, and she deduced that this was the spare ingredients cabinet. She took a measure of everything and spent some time putting them in her bag for later use.

It was at this moment, when she was walking back from the cabinet, that Slughorn entered the room.

"Ahh, Miss Anderson," he said. "Raiding my cupboard already I see."

Amy felt a flush go across her face and looked in Hugh's direction; he was still bent over his books and had not looked up.

"It's quite all right, I have more than enough. And if it's for a friend of Mr. Falootin, well, there's no more to be said."

Slughorn turned to look at the clock above a stuffed raven on the wall.

"I see, well, we have some time before class commences. Let's see what you're working on Hugh m'boy."

As Slughorn walked over and looked into Hugh's cauldron, already steaming pink smoke and letting off a sweet scent, a few more students walked into the room.

"Ah, a love potion," said Slughorn. "Wouldn't have figured that for you, Mr. Falootin."

Hugh kept his eyes on his paper, scrawling away at his notes, and said nonchalantly:

"It's purely experimental, Professor, a matter of interest strictly for furthering my understanding of the more complex potions."

As the class filled with students, the Professor began the lesson.

"Welcome, all, to sixth year potions! I am Horace Slughorn, and I hope to further your knowledge of the potion making arts. Now, to begin: Who can tell me which is the most difficult potion to make?"

"Polyjuice Potion?" Someone called out.

"Amortenia?" Another supplied.

"Draught of Living Death?" Yet another inquired.

Slughorn shook his head to them all and produced a cauldron which seemed to be filled with liquid gold. Amy watched, fascinated.

"This is Felix Felicis" He exclaimed, beaming. "Liquid Luck! For today's lesson I want you all to try your hand at creating the third stage of this potion." He chuckled. "I don't expect ANYONE to create the finished potion, so don't feel bad."

Amy opened her book and began to read the instructions. Already Hugh was cutting the necessary ingredients and beginning to drop them into his cauldron. He had managed to bottle his love potion amazingly quick and store one bottle in his bag and place another on the Professor's desk.

"For review," he had said.

She looked over and saw a red headed boy sweating over his cauldron while another one with glasses went up to ask the Professor for an extra text book."

Amy went to making her potion and was almost complete when Slughorn made an announcement to the class.

"Now, class, it has come to my attention that the making of Good Luck Potion has been strictly regulated by the Ministry of Magic, and so unauthorized use of such is forbidden. I'm afraid I shall have to ask you to switch potions to the Draught of Living Death."

Amy saw Hugh's face cringe in frustration. They both started from scratch and began to make Draught of the Living Death. Amy had finished early and thought she would try a hand at the love potion Hugh had been making earlier. She had marked the page he was reading and started to work at it.

"Ah, Miss Anderson," said Slughorn when Amy handed him a phial of her newly brewed potion. "This most certainly is not the draught."

"Actually," said Amy. "I finished quite a while ago. I thought I would try the love potion Mr. Falootin had made earlier, to see how I'm coming along."

"Very nice, it's positively glowing, a very good sign," Slughorn said gazing at the bottle. "I'll be interested to see you're Draught then when the time is up."

Amy went and sat down at her seat. She thought she saw Hugh place his head back toward his cauldron and sigh heavily on her way back to the desk. After the time was up the young dark haired boy with glasses had made the best Draught of the Living Death and Hugh and Amy were on their way out. Hugh was silent, more so than before.

Amy tried to strike up a conversation. "That boy who won the contest cheated, I think."

Hugh spared her a curious look, but remained stoic. "How so?"

"He seemed to be following the directions in the book, but he was getting better results than anyone. That's impossible unless he's made the potion before and was only pretending to not know how."

Hugh stayed silent.

"I don't suppose it matters," she said at length.

"No, I suppose it doesn't," said Hugh.

They had walked a bit longer in quiet when the sounds of others speaking around them became more than Amy cared to hear.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Hugh turned to her quickly.

"I do not do well with humiliation Miss Anderson. Nor have I ever."

Amy stammered for a moment. She did not have any idea what he was talking about.

"The next time to desire to upstage me in potion making, do not insult my efforts in front of the class."

Hugh did not say any of this particularly loud, nor did he seem obsessively angry, but his tone was firm and uncalled for, Amy thought. She wasn't sure what she was talking about and then it struck her:

"The love potion," she said, "I'm sure it wasn't--

"Do not pretend to be modest," he said. "Any potion maker of value could see just by looking at it that it was far superior to my own."

"The love potion," she said, "I'm sure it wasn't--

"Do not pretend to be modest," he said. "Any potion maker of value could see just by looking at it that it was far superior to my own."

Amy could not help feel somewhat proud of herself at this admission.

"Now," he said straightening his robes. ""I hope that we shall be able to put this behind us in continuing our classes today. I do not mean to be so forward, but on occasion I feel compelled to be."

Amy stared at him, dumbstruck. He quickly turned around and continued down the hallway, leaving Amy to follow. As she walked, she realized that in order to excel in Hogwarts she would have to beat Hugh, and that thought sat strangely uneasy in her heart for a reason she could not yet fathom.

She wanted to look forward to the rest of the year, but she had never been a fan of fighting in any form. She walked behind Hugh for some time thinking to herself before catching up with him and walking to his right as they entered their next class.


End file.
